


while we are young men, and merry

by leiascully



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: Community: dogdaysofsummer, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-07-17
Updated: 2006-07-17
Packaged: 2017-10-03 07:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leiascully/pseuds/leiascully
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We have been conscripted."</p>
            </blockquote>





	while we are young men, and merry

**Author's Note:**

> Timeline: Marauders  
> A/N: The prompt was "build barns".  
> Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ and all related characters are the property of JK Rowling and Scholastic. No profit is made from this work and no infringement is intended.

"We have been press-ganged," said Sirius dramatically, hammer in hand. "We have been conscripted. How did your da talk you into this again, James? Had you perhaps been in the sun too long? Imbibed extensive amounts of butterbeer?"

"He went off on some fable about ants and cicadas," James said, swinging another hammer with slightly ill temper and very poor aim. "Said it wouldn't always be summer and we needed to do the barn."

"Butterbeer notwithstanding," Remus said drily. He was sawing at some bits of wood and his bare forearms were furred with the fine dust from the planks. Sirius watched the rhythmic heave of Remus' shoulders for a long moment before turning back to James.

"Insects aside," he said, "I don't see why we should share your punishment, Prongsy." He tossed his hammer carelessly aside and flopped into a pile of hay. Peter picked up the hammer and weighed it in his hands.

"It's not that difficult, Sirius," he said. "Look. Hand me that bit, Moony, and see, James, it makes a patch right here so the water won't come in." He pounded in nails as James gave them to him and left a neat patch over a gap in the barn wall.

James whistled in admiration. "When did you learn to do that, Pete?"

"My da," Peter said. "We built a doghouse once, when I was little. He likes to do a bit of carpenter work in the winter. We put up shelves and things for Mum now and again."

"Teach me," said James eagerly.

"Fine," said Sirius, and picked up his hammer, pretending to be sulky. "But I warn you, these are noble hands. They weren't made for such base labour."

"You can't keep trading on your aristocratic heritage when you've disowned yourself," said Remus, but he put his fingers quietly against the damp nape of Sirius' neck to take the sting out of the words. Peter taught them the best way to hold the nails and the hammer and how to hit the nail without hitting one's thumb, and then the boys dispersed to patch the places James' father had circled in blue chalk. Remus walked about distributing the sawed planks, and soothing Sirius' bruised thumb with a stolen kiss. The barn hummed with the summer sounds of insects, punctuated by the thud of a nail struck home and the occasional curse.

James' mother brought them lemonade and admired their fine efforts. "I'm starving, Mum," said James, plaintive and comfortable in front of his friends. "What are you going to feed us for all this manly important work? Chops? Lots of them? And potatoes?"

"And homemade ice cream, if you'll churn it later."

"Remus will," said Sirius, jerking a purple thumb over his bare shoulder. All but Remus had shed their shirts in the heat. "He's got all those sawing muscles now." Remus rolled his eyes but didn't disagree. James' mother collected their empty glasses and smiled.

"You're good lads," she said. "Don't forget to wash up before you come to the table."

"We will," said James, pretending to be offended. "We are neat and meek as churchmice!" He kissed his mother swiftly on the cheek. "Ta, Mum."

He went outside to admire the barn as a whole, and Peter slipped off to the loo. Sirius leapt suddenly at Remus and pressed him to the splintery wall of the barn and kissed him hard. Remus kissed him back, filled with a fierce joy. It was the glory of the summer and they were building against their futures, and it was a solid and a lovely work they had done. It would not always be summer, but the barn would stand, whole and sound after their labour of love.


End file.
